Am I allowed to have pepper spray for self-defence in Denmark?
No — you may not have pepper spray without police permission, at home or in public. Pepper spray is a weapon under the Firearms Act. The scheme from 1 January 2019, under which people over 18 could buy and keep pepper spray for self-defence in their own home, was rolled back on 1 February 2021, because too many sprays ended up with criminals — and it is precisely that repealed scheme people still point to. Today it needs a weapon permit, granted only to at-risk people with a concrete risk, such as stalking or domestic violence; you must be 18 and be approved. A permit may only be used in lawful self-defence, and without one, possession brings a fine and a criminal record.
📋 The rules
- Pepper spray is a weapon under the Firearms Act
- The 2019 scheme was rolled back on 1 February 2021
- Today it needs a weapon permit from the police
- A permit is granted only to at-risk people, 18
- It may only be used in lawful self-defence
🔓 Exceptions
- At-risk people with a concrete risk can get a permit after a background check
- Police on duty may carry pepper spray
- Previously valid permits remain valid until they expire
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Possession without a permit typically brings a fine of about 1,400 kr if the spray merely sits in a drawer at home, and about 3,000 kr if you carry it in the street — so taking it out with you doubles the fine. Use it on a person outside lawful self-defence and it can be punished as assault, and then it is no longer a fine case. What people do not see coming is the record: a conviction for weapon possession marks your criminal record and can follow you in job applications long after the fine is paid. A spray bought lawfully under the 2019 scheme is not lawful to keep today.
📎 Official sources
- Politi.dk · Pepper spray →
- Politi.dk · Hand in pepper spray (2021) →
- Ministry of Justice · Changed scheme →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I have pepper spray for self-defence?
No, not without police permission. Pepper spray is a weapon under the Firearms Act, and the 2019 scheme that let you keep a spray in your own home was rolled back on 1 February 2021 and no longer applies.
Does the 2019 scheme still apply?
No. The scheme under which people over 18 could keep pepper spray at home was rolled back on 1 February 2021, because too many sprays ended up with criminals. A spray bought back then is illegal to keep today.
Who can get a permit?
Only at-risk people with a concrete risk, such as stalking or domestic violence, and only after a background check. You must be 18, and no permit is given for ordinary self-defence in the street.
Can I carry pepper spray in the street?
No. Even with a permit pepper spray may only be used in lawful self-defence, and carrying it in public without a permit is punishable — the fine is higher outside than for a spray kept in a drawer at home.
What is the penalty for having pepper spray?
Typically a fine of about 1,400 kr if the spray is kept at home and about 3,000 kr if it is carried in public. On top comes a criminal record, and using it on a person can be punished as assault.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I have pepper spray denmark”
- “pepper spray permit police”
- “pepper spray 2019 rolled back”
- “pepper spray at-risk people”
- “pepper spray fine”
- “self-defence firearms act”